Medical Myth Busters: Sleeping with Potatoes in your Socks to Cure Illness

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By Megan Solensky

When you’re sick, you might do anything you can to make yourself feel better. Some people may even turn to the internet for some answers. However, not all online at home remedies work.


According to Epidemiologist Dr. Becky Dawson, several viral videos claim that putting potatoes in your socks at night will pull toxins out of your body.

“What they’re hearing is that you can relieve your body or suck toxins or toxic materials out of your body through the potatoes in your socks,” said Dr. Dawson. “This is not true. This is not the way that our body gets rid of toxic chemicals or toxic substances in our body. That job is really left to our kidneys, livers and lungs.”

Many of these viral videos show that after wearing the potatoes overnight, they turn black.



Dr. Dawson explained that this has nothing to do with your body or the sickness you may be experiencing.

“Potatoes, apples, pears, all have an enzyme in them. When they’re exposed to the air, they actually do turn brown and then ultimately black. So, it really is just a function of how the potato is made and its exposure to the air that’s causing it to turn black overnight. But it really isn’t doing anything to your body.”

Dr. Dawson tells us that going to bed early, staying hydrated and taking over-the-counter medications are all good at home remedies if your are sick.

 



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